# thyristor

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #98,801

## Definitions
1. A semiconductor diode having an extra "gate" terminal to switch it on.

## Etymology
Blend of thyratron (1930) + transistor (1947). First attested c. 1965, as an alternative name for the Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) developed in the late 1950s.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/thyristor